Coming to Sparkyville
by Dolores-the-Dip
Summary: Skylar and Claudia recount their first days in the craziest part of Hennepin County and how they first met the gang.
1. Chapter 1

Fan Episode #9: Coming to Sparkyville

**CHAPTER 1: LIFE BEFORE SPARKYVILLE**

_**FOUR YEARS EARLIER**_

_"Hey Claudia." a few older kids exclaimed. Claudia sighed as she walked away. She hated Pine Elementary. She hated Wiona Black and Georgia Daniels. She hated Mrs. Dwarf. She hated everything about school in general because Skylar-her best friend since age three-had moved away to Applewood. Applewood was hours away-near some elementary school with the same name. _

_Sighing, Claudia waved at Wiona and Georgia before bumping into one of the fifth graders. "Watch it, airhead!" she shouted._

_"S-s-sorry." Claudia blushed before getting pummeled to a pulse. She sighed as she walked to the counsoler's office._

_"Enter." the counsoler explained as Claudia obeyed. "Claudia...how nice to see you again...for the sixth time this week...and it's only Tuesday..."_

_"I know..." Claudia sighed._

_"What's wrong? Are Wiona and Georgia driving you nuts again?"_

_"A little, Miss Caringheart._

_"Claudia, what's wrong exactly?"_

_"C-can you keep a secret?" Claudia trembled._

_"Yes, Claudia-but I MIGHT not be able to keep a secret as well...is the secret bad?" Miss Caringheart asked._

_"Yes."_

_"Does it involve getting hurt?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Does it involve being touched in bad places?"_

_"No."_

_"Who hurt you?"_

_"B-b-Brenda Bailey. I bumped into her and sh-she attacked me." Claudia replied. "I w-wanna move away."_

_"Don't, Claudia. You're one of Mrs. Dwarf's favorite students." Now Claudia knew the teacher told Miss Caringheart a different story._

_"NO!" Claudia shouted. "She d-doesn't like me and n-n-never addresses me...it's l-like-"_

_"Like you're in the shaddows?" the counsoler asked._

_"Yes. I f-feel so mad when she d-doesn't r-"_

_"When she doesn't realize you're still one of her students-autistic or not?"_

_"Yeah..."_

_"Claudia, you'll have some teachers you'll hate and other teachers you'll love. Mrs. Dwarf is one of those teachers you'll hate; but it's no reason to move away. Don't you have friends?"_

_"Not since Skylar moved away. He's m-my only human f-f-friend."_

_"You need to find a way to make friends." _

_"How, Miss Caringheart?"_

_"Our spring show needs posters-wanna help Miss Pablo make posters?"_

_"Oh yes, Miss Caringheart. Thank you!" Claudia smiled, about to hug the counsoler when she was stopped._

_"Claudia..." Miss Caringheart sighed._

_"May I hug you?" asked Claudia._

_"Of course, Claudia."_

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"Claudia, come here." Schroeder signaled, holding a poster in his hands. "Look what I found."

Claudia smiled as he unrolled the poster-Christmas themed and inviting one and all to the play last Christmas. "I r-remember." Claudia smiled.

"Good. A few kids and I want to know if you can help make MORE posters."

"Oh yes, Schroeder. Count me in."

"And how's Little Girl Blue?" he added as Claudia cocked her head.

"Who?" asked Claudia.

"Little Girl Blue." repeated Schroeder. "How is she?"

"If I knew who you w-were talking about-"

"HEY GRANDIN!" shouted Lucy as she snuck up behind Claudia. "Hey Schroeder."

"Hey babe." Schroeder waved back as Claudia blinked.

"Who's Little Girl Blue?" Claudia repeated herself.

"Little Girl Blue...Schroeder, don't you mean Little BOY Blue? As much as I approve of the feminism, taking a classic nursery rhyme character and making him female isn't my idea of-" began Lucy before seeing Claudia look in confusion. "You NEVER heard of Little BOY Blue?"

"Oh yeah..._Little Boy Blue, come b-blow your horn cause the sheep's in the m-m-meadow, the cow's in the corn. Where's the b-boy who looks after the sheep? He's under the haystack, fast asleep. _Why?" Claudia asked.

"Who WAS Little Boy Blue?" Melanie asked as she walked towards the three.

"Your d-dress' wet." Claudia stated.

"It is? Oh...it IS..."

"Why?"

"Let's not talk of it."

"Now come on." Lucy signaled. "We've got posters to show."

"Coming." replied Claudia before realizing something. "R-remember when I first moved to Fillmore St-Street, Melanie?"

"Oh yes, you were quite quiet and reserved." Melanie replied. "And you did 'keep to yourself' as Frankie explained."

"Yeah...I f-felt so alone not knowing anyone. Then I m-met you and Franklin, Franco, Hans, Peppermint Patty and..." her eyes instantly widened. "And Marcie...is she okay?"

"Maybe you should talk to her-she's in the girls room, behind the stalls."

"I will."

"What about the posters?" asked Lucy.

Schroeder shrugged. "Later, Lucy. If Eudora was moving away, I'd be comforting Linus too. And I'm sure if Cobra was moving away, you'd be comforting Rattler-and vice-versa."

Lucy thought about it good and hard before sighing. "You're right."

_**FOUR YEARS EARLIER**_

_"Hey Claude, how was school?" Krissy asked as Claudia slammed the front door and stormed to her room. "Another bad day?"_

_"Krissy, go console Claudia." their mom insisted as she prepared Gracie's supper. The dog who was once barking happily and wagging her tail was now whimpering as she trotted to Claudia's room, scratching on the door._

_Krissy inhaled as she entered Claudia's room despte the 'Do not enter' sign on the doorknob. "Claudia? Claudia? Claudia Alexandra?" asked Krissy before seeing Claudia, covered in cuts and bruises. "Who did this?"_

_"B-b-" Claudia began._

_"Brenda?"_

_"Yeah...I didn't mean it."_

_"I know you didn't mean it, Claude. Did you see Miss Caringheart?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"What'd she do?"_

_"She s-s-said I could make p-posters for the Spring Show after M-m-March Break."_

_"That's my little sister-a real Leonardo Da-Vinci." smiled Krissy as she walked to the bathroom to grab Band-Aids. "Now, which ones do you want? Nosey Norris or Hi-Hi Puppy?"_

_"Hi-Hi Puppy." Claudia replied as Krissy opened the box of Band-Aids with a Puppy in an oversized bow on it's head._

_Krissy smiled. "I knew you'd say that, little sis."_

_"Why?" _

_Giggling, the older girl said "I know my little sister and my big sister like the back of my own hand."_

_"You s-sure do." smiled Claudia as Krissy put a Hi-Hi Puppy Band-Aid on her elbow._

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"Marcie?" Claudia called out, only for her echo to bounce back. "Marcie?" an idea then hit her as she began whistling a little, just a few off-key notes. "Are you alive?" she teased before seeing a little silver from a familiar headgear stick out. "Skylar?" she asked, walking behind the stalls to see Skylar, cuddling Marcie.

Looking up, Skylar saw his girlfriend's worried look. "Yes?" he asked.

"What in the name of Sp-sp-Sparky Schulz are you doing in the girls bathroom?"

"I'm a simple guy. I hear crying, I go check it out. Poor girl, I remember moving to Applewood a quarter of my life ago-not knowing anyone. There WAS this boy who was in the second grade, a real nice guy...two school years ago...he gave me a lollipop and boy was he shocked when I gave him back the lollipop...his name's Connor and-"

"Skylar, we don't need f-f-flashbacks..." sighed Claudia. Skylar gronaed at Claudia's statement. "Why are you in the-"

"I heard someone crying and went to investigate...Melanie was coming, so I hid myself. If I could, I could've dangled a rubber spider over her head by standing on a toilet."

"True..." Claudia smiled as Marcie looked over at her. "How're you feeling?"

"Horrible, Claudia." replied Marcie.

"Oh...I understand...ish..."

"Don't act as if I didn't move to Applewood BEFORE you." reminded Skylar.

"I'm not." argued Claudia before sighing. "Maybe a little."

"What was it like first moving to Sparkyville?" Marcie inquired.

"Well..." Claudia and Skylar began. "It..."

"You first." Claudia insisted.

"Ladies first." Skylar reminded.

"I insisit."

"No, my treat."

"I insist, Skylar. You f-first."

"If you insist..." Skylar sighed. "I was only seven-years-old; well, I'm older than Claudia by a year but we were in the same class-a grade 1/2 split."

"Cut to the chase." Claudia insisted.

**NEXT CHAPTER: PREPARE FOR TROUBLE**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: AND MAKE IT DOUBLE**

_**FOUR YEARS AGO**_

_Skylar sighed as he and his triplet siblings-Elie and Kathrine-began packing their belongings. "I hate this!" shouted Elie, kicking the ground angrily. "Why'd mom have to get pregnant?"_

_"I don't know. Why'd I get asthma and type 1 diabetes?" shrugged Skylar._

_"Sky has a point, El." Kathrine added. "Now, did you pack all your stuff?"_

_"Are you mom?" shouted Elie as Skylar snuck out of the house and towards Claudia's house._

_Krissy smiled as she spotted Skylar at the door. "Hi, Skylar. Come in, Claudia's in her room." she explained._

_"Thank you." Skylar told the 14 1/2 as she smiled. _

_"Cute little guy..." Krissy told herself._

_"Claudia!" called out Skylar._

_"Skylar!" replied Claudia as she hugged him. Gracie barked happily._

_"Claudia..." began Skylar. "Moving day's tomorrow...I want you to have this..." he explained, handing Claudia a blue bracelet. "I made it just for my best friend."_

_"I d-don't want you to leave." whimpered Claudia. _

_"I know-we were gonna play in the July sun, but I have to move away. I'm sorry." _

_"I'll miss you."_

_"Same."_

_"And right after grade 1 ended too..." Krissy added._

_"I know, Krissy..." trembled Skylar._

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"That day was hectic to say the least." sighed Skylar.

"Claudia, do you still have Skylar's bracelet?" Marcie sniffled.

Claudia smiled as she rolled her blue bracelet off her right wrist and put it on Marcie's wrist. "What do you think?" Claudia asked.

"I think it's a nice shade of blue; but is this the bracelet Skylar made?"

"Yup."

"It's a nice token of your friendship, Claudia." Marcie smiled.

"I know." Skylar smiled. "I remember first moving into my home..."

_**FOUR YEARS EARLIER**_

_"Are we there yet?" begged Skylar._

_"Almost, champ." replied Mr. Williams._

_"We're hungry." wailed Kathrine._

_Elie sighed as he kicked the seat ahead of him. "Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored."_

_Skylar sighed as Kathrine passed him her GameBoy. "Here, Sky." she explained._

_"Thanks, Kathy-Kitten." smiled Skylar as he ruffled her hair._

_Kathrine blushed. "Skylar." she huffed. _

_"Are we there yet?" moaned Elie. "We've been on the road since five this morning!"_

_"Hang on..." responded Mrs. Williams. "We're almost there, you three musketeers."_

_"Really?" asked Elie in awe._

_"I got one thing to say." pitched in Kathrine. "Thank goodness Grams is with Vanessa...we don't need a crying toddler on this trip."_

_"Kathy..." Mr. Williams sighed. _

_"What?"_

_"Never mind...just be quiet..."_

_"So Kathrine." Skylar began. "What do you wanna do for our birthday? We are almost 8 and Claudia's turning 7 in September..."_

_"The usual-a movie or rollerskating, then maybe a birthday lunch at Sal's Diner..." replied Kathrine._

_"Did I mention there's a Joe's Cafe and an Ace's Ice Cream shop?" asked Mrs. Williams._

_"Not while your pregnant." Mr. Williams joked._

_"I meant for the kids."_

_"I know."_

_"Anyways, afterwards, we could go and-there's a Joe's Cafe?" Kathrine realized. "COUNT ME IN!"_

_Elie sighed. "Depends..."_

_"On what?"_

_"On if there's sugar free food."_

_"Not my fault Skylar was born with diabetes and asthma."_

_"I need an asprin..." sighed Skylar._

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"I'm g-glad Lucy's the oldest, followed by Linus and then R-r-Rerun..." Claudia joked as Lucy walked into the restroom, screaming and pointing at Skylar before fleeing.

"BOY! THERE'S A BOY IN THE GIRLS' BATHROOM!"

"Is she always like that?" he asked.

Marcie sighed. "She's also that way if Snoopy kisses her-she'll run around and say 'I've got dog lips! Get hot water! I've been poisoned! Bleah!' or something like that..."

"True..." Claudia smiled.

"Snoopy's Charlie Brown's dog, isn't he?" Skylar inquired.

"He sure is...just not your average beagle-trust me, he's quite creative. One minute he's Joe Cool hanging around the college dorm or a surgeon-he never opperated before though-or a bus driver and he's even a World War I Flying Ace and sometimes comes over to my place to drink root beer." replied Marcie.

"Sugar-free root beer or the normal kind?" Skylar wondered.

"Lucy, what's going on?" Schroeder wondered as Lucy ran back in the restroom, Skylar slid under a stall to not get caught.

Lucy trembled. "A boy is in here, Schroe-" she began. "Well there WAS a boy here-Claudia's boyfriend was right here and...he drives me crazy!" she huffed before walking away.

Skylar looked over from the stall and waved. "Hi." he called out. 'No boys allowed."

"Sorry, just trying to console Lucy." replied Schroeder before blinking. "Oh good grief...Skylar, what're you doing?"

"I heard crying and went to investigate."

"I guess that's what we get when Peppermint Patty's sick and Hans is-" Schroeder began before covering his mouth.

"Go on." Skylar insisted.

"Really. I tend not to talk that much and now-"

"I can see why Lucy likes you-you're a nice guy."

"I bit prideful though..."

"Really?"

"Yeah...I was sharing the story of moving with Claudia and Marcie." insisted Skylar. "You and Lucy can listen if you want."

"After school. After homework. Brick wall." Schroeder responded.

"We'll be there."

"Good."

Smiling, Skylar slipped out of the stall. "Got that?" he asked.

"After school. After homework. Brick wall." repeated Claudia.

"Got it..." sighed Marcie.

"Everything will be fine...it's sc-scary when a best friend-or b-boyfriend moves away to another city or c-country. We're here." Claudia insisted.

"We sure are." added Skylar. "C'mon, lunch hour's almost over. I'll see you two in class."

"Okay." Claudia smiled as Marcie handed her back the bracelet. "Thanks."

"Think anyone heard us?" Marcie wondered.

"We were at the b-back of the stalls. The chances of-" Claudia began before seeing Rattler blocking the door.

"Are quite slim, huh?" Rattler asked.

"Reform schoolgirls...figures..." Claudia thought via thought bubble.

"Last I checked, Skylar's not tra-" Rattler began as Claudia and Marcie's eyes widened.

"You had to open your mouth?" Cobra butted in from the hallway.

"I didn't say the whole word."

"Well run before you say the whole word."

"Skylar's NOT t-t-transgender, Rattler. And don't f-forget it." Claudia called out.

"I won't..." replied Rattler, running to class.

"Whoa, Claudia..." Marcie realized.

"Not one word about this." Claudia replied.

**NEXT CHAPTER: SWEET HOME, APPLEWOOD**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: MOVING IN**

_**FOUR YEARS EARLIER**_

_Skylar sighed as he and Elie walked around the football field, looking in wonder at everything he saw. The moving truck was on its way and Skylar-well-he wanted to get away from the at-home drama with his mom, dad and three-year-old sister. A walk was a sure-fire way to get away from the drama. Kathrine was trying to befriend other kids._

_"Charlie Brown, oh Charlie Brown..." a girl in a blue dress called out. She held onto a football and had 50's styled jet black hair. "I'll hold the football and you kick it."_

_A boy with a circular head gulped. "No way, Lucy." he denied._

_"Don't you trust me?" she asked._

_"NO!"_

_"Come on, Elie-it's just a love-hate relationship." signaled Skylar as he walked away._

_"In that case..." the girl's glance landed on Elie. "Hey kid, can you hold this football?"_

_"Sure...I guess?" shrugged Elie._

_"Good. Now the boy in the yellow is gonna try to kick it; I need you to pull it away at the last second." the girl explained. _

_"That's not being honest."_

_"Gimme that back! Outsmarted by a 6 year old."_

_"I'm turning 8 on August 10th-so are my brother and sister."_

_"That's funny, some dogs have the same birthday." the girl laughed as she walked off-football in hands._

_"What a weird girl." blinked Elie as he walked towards Skylar._

_"You said it, bro." Skylar replied. _

_"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" a boy screamed as he landed a few feet away from the two brothers._

_"What happened?" Elie asked._

_"Stupid Lucy Van Pelt." the round headed kid huffed._

_"Uh...okay?" shrugged Elie. "Let's get going."_

_Skylar sighed as he looked over at the boy, helping him up. "Ignore her." he explained._

_"Easier said than done." the round headed kid shrugged._

_"I think you need a new GIRLFRIEND." Elie chirped in._

_"GIRLFRIEND?! That's my little sister's boyfriend's sister!" _

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"I can tell that was pre Python's death Lucy." sighed Schroeder.

"It was?" Skylar realized.

"It was." Lucy added.

"Weird..." Marcie shrugged as they walked to Filmore Street.

"What're you up to?" Claudia asked.

"Just giving Patty the homework she missed."

"Okay." Skylar smiled.

"Hurry back." Schroeder added.

"And we mean it, Carlin." reminded Lucy.

Marcie sighed as she looked back at the kids. "I can't stand it...do...do they think I'm suicidal? That's crazy...then again, maybe they're trying to look out for me...if so, I can look out for myself..." she thought. "I CAN look out for myself."

Claudia sighed as she kicked at the ground. "When K-Krissy's at college or with R-r-Red, I get real lonesome..." she explained.

"I don't blame you." sighed Skylar. "I remember when someone I loved died."

"Ouch..." Schroeder winced.

"I...I...I remember...WHY?!" Lucy bawled.

"Why what?" asked Skylar.

"PYYYYYYYYTHON!"

"There there..." Schroeder shushed.

Claudia sighed as she patted Skylar's back. Storm clouds soon filled the sky as Marcie rejoined the group. "Hug?" Claudia asked.

"Sure..." replied Marcie.

"What're we gonna do?" asked Schroeder. "Lucy lost Python to a gun, Skylar lost someone he loved and now..." he sighed. "Now I DON'T know how you'll get through this-you're sensitive."

"We all are...even me." reminded Lucy.

"Yeah..." Claudia sighed.

_(Marcie)_

_I always needed time on my own_

_I never thought I'd _

_Need you there when I cried_

_(Claudia)_

_And the days feel like years when I'm alone_

_And the bed where you lie _

_Is made up on your side_

_(Skylar)_

_When you walk away_

_I count the steps that you take_

_Do you see how much I need you right now?_

_(Lucy)_

_When you're gone_

_The pieces of my heart are missin' you_

_(Schroeder)_

_When you're gone_

_The face I came to know is missin', too_

_(All 5)_

_When you're gone_

_The words I need to hear_

_To always get me through the day_

_And make it okay_

_(Marcie)_

_I miss you_

_I've never felt this way before_

_Everything that I do_

_Reminds me of you_

_(Claudia)_

_And the clothes you left _

_They lie on the floor_

_And they smell just like you_

_I love the things that you do_

_(Skylar)_

_When you walk away_

_I count the steps that you take_

_Do you see how much I need you right now?_

_(Schroeder)_

_When you're gone_

_The pieces of my heart are missin' you_

_(Lucy)_

_When you're gone_

_The face I came to know is missin', too_

_(All 5)_

_When you're gone_

_The words I need to hear_

_To always get me through the day_

_And make it okay_

_(Marcie)_

_I miss you_

_We were made for each other_

_Out here forever_

_I know we were_

_Yeah yeah_

_All I ever wanted was for you to know_

_Everything I do I give my heart and soul_

_I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me_

_Yeah_

_(Claudia)_

_When you're gone_

_The pieces of my heart are missin' you_

_(Skylar)_

_When you're gone_

_The face I came to know is missin', too_

_(Marcie)_

_When you're gone_

_The words I need to hear_

_Will always get me through the day_

_And make it okay_

_I miss you_

Claudia smiled as she looked at the others. "I feel better a little."

"It's still raining cats and dogs." Schroeder replied as thunder crashed.

"My place." Lucy explained. "Now!"

The kids sighed as they walked to Lucy's place, being greeted by Lacey. "What's going on, kids?" she asked.

"We got caught in the rain while on our way back from Fillmore Street." explained Lucy.

"Oh...who wants hot chocolate?"

"No thanks." Skylar denied. "I'll just have normal milk."

"I wouldn't mind a little hot cocoa." Lucy smiled.

"Neither would we." Schroeder added.

"We did our homeworks too." Claudia insisted.

"You kids can talk for a while, I'll just tell your parents where you are." Mrs. Van Pelt explained.

"Okay." Claudia smiled as Lucy dragged her to her room. Skylar followed after them.

"Chin up." Schroeder insisted.

"I'm trying my best." Marcie replied. "But I can't stop thinking about Hans...what if he returns in our senior year-but I wind up having another boyfriend and he's singal or vice-versa?"

"Don't worry about that-he loves you and you loved him back, besides, this has been your longest relationship-unlike where Charlie Brown would ask 'Do I what?' or how you and Pierre lost contact or when-."

"I know...I think Lucy's aunt Marion WAS right."

"She was?"

"Yeah. Never TRY to discuss ROMANCE with a musician..."

"Come on, babe." Lucy called out.

"We're coming." Schroeder replied.

Skylar smiled as he looked over at Claudia and nuzzled up to her. She was ringing out the rain from her pigtail, kind of like how someone ringed water out of a wet towel.

"So, what was your first night in your new house like?" Lucy asked Skylar as she, Schroeder and Marcie walked back towards the two.

"Well, it was scary at first-I was sharing a room with my brother instead of with him and Kathrine-boy was that a change. Then, there was the fact that I was MILES away from Claudia and Gracie." replied Skylar. "At one point in the night, a DOG-Snoopy, I believe-came into the kitchen and looked for any root beer to drink...I believe so..."

"Wow..." Lucy blinked. "The World War I Flying Ace on Applewood...he must've been going to Tipperary..."

"Probably."

"It's raining cats and dogs out." Marcie declared as the rain poured harder.

"That's just an expressioin." Lucy huffed as Snoopy, Gracie, Andy, Olaf and Woodstock fell down from the sky.

"I stand corrected-it's raining BIRDS and BEAGLES."

"Birds?" Skylar asked.

"And beagles?" Schroeder inquired.

"What about crossbreeds?" wondered Claudia.

"Yup, Gracie's there too..." Marcie replied.

"We better let them in." Lucy sighed. "I can't believe I just said that..."

Rerun smiled as he opened the front door and in went four wet beagles and one wet bird, shaking off before running to Lucy's room. "Mom!" Rerun called out. "Can I have a dog?"

"Brothers..." sighed Lucy as a wet Snoopy jumped in her lap. "DON'T have one."

"Relax, I have three bros." Skylar laughed.

Marcie smiled. "A brother would be interesting. Maynard's kinda like a brother-even if he IS my cousin."

Schroeder laughed as Claudia ruffled Gracie's fur, cooing at her. "It's been a while since you really smiled, we're impressed." he said.

"I can't stay down in the dumps forever." Marcie realized. "Besides, who CAN'T smile when there're dogs?"

"Watch, when these pooches leave, Carlin's gonna be depressed again." whispered Lucy to her boyfriend.

"She's r-right." added Claudia.

**NEXT CHAPTER: WELCOMING CLAUDIA**

**'When You're Gone' **written by Avril Lavigne and Butch Walker

© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: WHAT SKYLAR SAID**

_**FOUR YEARS EARLIER**_

_It always got freezing cold during September. Krissy smiled as she wrapped a scarf around Claudia's neck. "Bundle up, little sis." she cooed._

_"I d-don't need a scarf." denied Claudia with a huff._

_"Oh yes you do." _

_"DO NOT!"_

_"Girls..." sighed Mrs. Grandin from the kitchen._

_"Fine." huffed Claudia. "I'll w-wear it; but I won't like it."_

_Walking outside, Claudia waited for the school bus. Her birthday was coming up on the 16th, but only her family and Skylar's family ever celebrated it. Two girls waved at Claudia-one was in a wheelchair and the other had firey red hair. _

_"Hi..." sighed Claudia._

_"What's up?" the redhead asked._

_"Sunny..." the girl in the wheelchair sighed. "You know she doesn't like talking."_

_"I know, Juliet." Sunny replied. "I just hope one day, she'll say hi."_

_**THREE YEARS LATER**_

_Claudia sighed as she sat on her bed, reading a book on artists through the years. "Claude!" shouted Krissy._

_"Coming!" declared Claudia. "What's g-going on?"_

_"Pack your stuff. We're moving!" Mrs. Grandin explained._

_"Why?" Claudia asked._

_"Mom got a new job at Sparkyville." Krissy explained._

_"That's m-m-miles away!" _

_"I know! We're gonna be roughing it out!"_

_"Ugh..."_

_"You might make some new friends."_

_"You m-might make some new friends." Claudia mocked._

_"Oh yes you will."_

_"What about Gracie?" Claudia pointed to the family dog, eating out of her supper dish._

_"She's coming too." Mrs. Grandin reassured._

_"Moving?" Claudia sighed. "I'll m-miss my old room."_

_"You'll have a new room-so will Krissy."_

_"Personally, I think mom wants to get away from the Pinewood Rat Race." joked Krissy._

_"At l-least I won't be at Pine Elementary all y-year." realized Claudia with a smile. "No more bullies."_

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"When did you first come to Sparkyville?" asked Schroeder.

"I was getting there." sighed Claudia.

"Good." Lucy smiled.

"I guess..." Marcie sighed. "Go on."

"Oh boy!" Claudia squealed.

_**A YEAR EARLIER**_

_"Where are we?" Claudia asked, looking out the window in awe._

_"Sparkyville." Krissy stated as they passed a sign reading YOU HAVE JUST ENTERED SPARKYVILLE._

_"How do you know?"_

_"I just know." the older sister smirked._

_"Girls..." Mrs. Grandin sighed as she stopped the car at a Happy Huberts. "What do you want?"_

_"A joyfull meal!" exclaimed Claudia. "With a g-grilled cheese, fries and ch-ch-chocolate milk!"_

_"Just a normal Hubert patty for me." Krissy sighed._

_"Okay, miss September 12th, 2000."_

_"Girls..." Mrs. Grandin sighed before putting her head on the horn. "I know I should've aborted Kayla when I was 15..." she thought._

_"Abort?" Claudia asked as she and Gracie perked up._

_"It means get rid." Krissy replied._

_"Oh." _

_A breeze flew in the open car window as the two sisters blinked. "It's warm here and it's September." remarked Krissy, removing her winter attire and leaving on her sweater._

_"Weird." Claudia added, also removing her winter clothes._

_"I guess Sparkyville's warmer in September than I though." their mom realized._

_A few hours later, Claudia's eyes adjusted to where they were. It was 5 in the evening and she had spotted the moving truck at a house. "What's Fillmore Street?" she asked, reading the sign._

_"Filmore Street? I guess it's where we live now." Krissy bluntly said._

_"Wow!"_

_"Welcome to the neighborhood, girls." their mom smiled as Gracie barked._

_"I know!" Claudia smiled. "We're at the new house."_

_"Come on, gals. Let's get unpacking."_

_"I'm gonna meet the neighbors!" _

_"Later, Claudia. If we're lucky, we can unpack your beds, girls."_

_"Alright..."_

_Two hours of getting the house partially unpacked later, Claudia and Gracie had run outside to meet the neighbors with Gracie knocking on their doors._

_"Good evening." Gracie thought, introducing the neighbors to Claudia as the doors slammed in their faces. "The nerve."_

_"It's b-better this way, Gracie. I'm a n-nobody." realized Claudia._

_"There's a house!" Gracie wagged her tail as she scratched on the door before running off._

_"I'll get it!" a husky voice exclaimed as she opened the door. "Hello? Is anyone here?"_

_Claudia sighed as she walked home. "Hey kid!" a voice called out. "What're you doing?"_

_"Uh..." Claudia blushed before running off._

_"You're weird, kid..."_

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"No way!" laughed Skylar. "Gracie scratched on Peppermint Patty's door?!"

"Not exactly." Claudia denied. "W-while it was Peppermint Patty who answered the door-"

"Oh right...she and Carlin bunk up sometimes." Lucy recalled.

"Yeah. The n-n-next day was no better." laughed Claudia lightly.

"I better get going." Marcie interrupted. "Mom's probably wondering where I am..."

"What's wrong exactly?" asked Skylar.

"NOTHING!" Marcie shouted before storming out of Lucy's room, slamming the door behind her.

"If that's nothing-" began Schroeder.

"And you guys say I-Lucille AKA Lucy, AKA Mamba-Van Pelt am crabby." Lucy added.

"I don't think Marcie wants to talk to us." Claudia blinked. "It was f-funnier when we first met."

"What happened?" asked Lucy. "We need SOMETHING to laugh at."

**NEXT CHAPTER: HI THERE, MY NAME'S CLAUDIA A. GRANDIN**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5: VISITOR**

"What'd I miss?" asked Peppermint Patty, sitting up in bed. Her nose was a deep red, her hair was a bird's nest and she had a few red spots on her skin-her dad thought it was either measles or chicken pox.

"Not much. " Shrugged Marcie, sulking at the end of the bed.

"Be honest."

"Fine...remember when YOU first met Claudia, Sir?"

"Yeah. You were sick as a dog."

"Go on..."

"Why the sudden interest though?" the tomboy realized.

"Just curious, Sir." Replied Marcie.

"Well...it happened a few days after last year's fall carnival, and, like I said about thirty seconds ago, you were sick as a dog. Anyways, the rest of the kids and I were at our desks..."

_**A YEAR EARLIER**_

_"Did you hear?" whispered Franco to Hans. "There's gonna be a new kid in class."_

_"New kid?" Hans questioned._

_"Yeah."_

_Peppermint Patty sighed as she looked over at the desk behind her. Empty once again. "Rats." She huffed._

_"Chin up." Melanie insisted. "Everybody loves a happy face."_

_"I'm honestly trying."_

_The teacher smiled as she began talking, beginning by mentioning that the new kid would be in their class and to welcome her with open arms. A squeak of the door signaled to the teacher that she had arrived. _

_"Class, meet miss Claudia Alexandra Grandin." The teacher explained as the kids blinked._

_"She's pretty." Franklin stated._

_"I love her hair." Melanie squealed. "CAN I DO YOUR HAIR FOR YOU?!"_

_"She's cute...I guess..." sighed Peppermint Patty as Franklin turned towards her. "What?"_

_"Look behind you." Warned Franklin._

_"THAT SPOT IS OFF LIMITS!" _

_"Oh?" Claudia asked._

_"It's my little friend's spot." Explained Peppermint Patty. "My friend sits there."_

_"I thought that was Marcie's spot." Melanie chimed in as Franklin face-palmed._

_"Okay class, simmer down..." the teacher instructed as Claudia sat in the spot behind Patty._

_"Just. For. To. Day." the tomboy huffed. "Are we clear, sister?"_

_"Y-y-yes." gulped Claudia._

_The day dragged on until Patty, homework in hand, started to walk home. Claudia followed her in confusion. "Go home!" the tomboy shouted._

_"I am." Claudia thought. "My home's over there."_

_"Kid, stop following me and please go home."_

_"Y-you're weird." Gulped Claudia._

_"Look, Claudia Alexandra-"_

_"It's C-Claudia."_

_"Huh?"_

_"My name. It's just Claudia."_

_"Alexandra's your middle name, huh?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Well look, Claudia, only my best friend can call me weird."_

_"Can I meet her?"_

_"Hmm..." Patty thought long and hard about it. "Sure-in a few days though. She's home sick with the flu."_

_"Yippee!"_

_"You missed the point-not now! In a few days!"_

_"Is she f-f-friendly?"_

_"Yeah-Marcie's a friendly girl when ya get to know her-but don't test her patience."_

_"Okay, miss..."_

_"Name's Peppermint Patty-but Marcie calls me 'Sir'."_

_"Nice name."_

_"Peppermint Patty or Sir?"_

_"Both."_

_"Thanks, Claude."_

_"Claude?"_

_"You don't mind, do you?"_

_"Not at all."_

_"Look, Claude, just leave me alone."_

_"Okay."_

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"That so?" Marcie sighed.

"Yeah." Laughed Peppermint Patty to herself.

"You're weird, Sir...what else happened?"

"Well, remember what happened the next day when I introduced you two?" the tomboy giggled to herself.

"Aside from her pouncing on my bed?"

"Yeah."

"No, can't remember."

_**A YEAR EARLIER**_

_Peppermint Patty smiled as she walked over to her friend's house, Claudia tagging behind her._

_"What're you doing exactly, Claude?" asked Peppermint Patty._

_"W-w-well, Patty." Began Claudia, stammering. "What're you doing?"_

_"I'm just dropping off the schoolwork Marcie missed."_

_"Can I help?"_

_"I don't know, Claude. You're new to town and I DON'T want you to get sick too. What will your parents say?"_

_"I only know my m-m-mom and sisters. They'd b-both be in d-d-disbelief."_

_"Sisters, eh? Are they older or younger than ya?"_

_"Older. Both of them."_

_"Cool. I never knew my mom and I'm an only child."_

_"Dang." Claudia sighed, finishing the conversation as they walked inside._

_Patty gave an eye roll as she knocked on her friend's bedroom door. "Marcie?" looking over at Claudia, the tomboy rolled her eyes. "She's probably asleep."_

_"Oh." Claudia blinked before opening the door and, without warning, pouncing on the bed._

_"Claude! What in Sparkyville are you doing?!" the tomboy face-palmed as the pigtailed girl looked over at her._

_"Not much." smiled Claudia guiltily. "Sometimes when my s-s-sister's sleeping in, I wake her up this w-way."_

_"I can't believe you, Claude...are you ALWAYS this much trouble?"_

_"Oh y-yes, and much more."_

_"A rebel, huh?"_

_"Yup!" Claudia beamed. "Wake up." She added, nudging Marcie._

_"Mom, you're the one who said I have to take a nap." Yawned Marcie, pulling the covers over her head._

_"Well, I want you to meet someone first." Patty giggled._

_"Who?" Marcie growled._

_"There's a new kid in town."_

_"You told me."_

_"And she goes to our school."_

_"She does?"_

_"Yup."_

_"Hi." Claudia gulped to herself._

_"Who in the name of Charles Monroe Schulz are you?" Marcie asked, sitting up._

_"This is Claudia Alexandra something." Introduced Peppermint Patty. "She, her mom and sisters moved in a few days ago. Claudia, this is Marceline Carlin. Her friends call her 'Marcie'."_

_"Nice meeting you, now can you two please leave?" _

_"Sure, Marce."_

_"Sorry, I'm just a bit crabby, Sir...can we hang out together when I feel better? Just you, me and Claudia? Maybe then we can learn more about each other?"_

_"It's a plan." Smiled Peppermint Patty, placing her friend's schoolwork on the nightstand. "But I think your mom IS right in you taking a nap. I'll be keeping up my D minus less streak."_

_"Good idea, Sir..." Marcie replied, yawning a little as Claudia giggled in awe. "What?"_

_"You're k-k-kinda cute." Claudia admitted._

_"Thanks. You're...cute too..."_

_"Shucks. I'm cute...I'm cute? I'M CUTE!"_

"_Okay, Claude. I think we got the memo." Peppermint Patty giggled. "Now, I think you better start heading home."_

"_Oh I w-will, Patty." Replied Claudia happily as she made her way home. "See you at sc-school tomorrow."_

"_You too." Waved Peppermint Patty as the two girls went their separate ways._

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"No way!" exclaimed Marcie. "She followed you?"

"Yeah, talk about a lamb to the slaughter." Sighed Peppermint Patty. "She kept to herself with the others, but with me, she began to open up."

"I guess we're all that way, Sir."

"And stop calling me "Sir"! That's one thing I DIDN'T miss."

"Sir, why did Claudia follow you?"

"I still don't know. Not even to this day. I think it's Claude's clingy personality."

"Maybe, Sir."

"Either that or she felt bad for sitting in your spot on her first day at school here."

"It's probably the latter."

**NEXT CHAPTER: TWO DIFFERENT STREETS**


End file.
